February 9th, the 15th day of the 1st lunar month is the Chinese Lantern Festival and is marked with the first full moon after the Chinese New Year. This is the next day of celebration in China. It kind of signifies an end to the Chinese New Year Spring Festival. The date changes every year. The day is also called Yuan Xiao Festival in China. Children carry around small lanterns on a stick that are about the size of a oatmeal box. There are many fireworks and you must eat these small round yuanxiao (glutinous rice ball) that are very, very sweet.
Bev and I went down to the Seaworld Plaza, one block from home, to have a coffee at Starbucks and people watch. Here are a few photos that I took from 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. The fireworks went off all night long but this does mark an end to the guaranteed all night long fireworks we have had for weeks now. The fireworks are to keep the bad spirits away for the coming year.
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